Readers can see a nearly similar article published in kridangan.com during September 2013 titled, “Bolt of Electricity in Track and Field”. Since then, Usian Bolt has already achieved the tag of an all-time great. Participating in his third consecutive Olympics after 2008 Beijing Games, 30 year old Bolt achieved something at Rio that is confined to an athlete’s dreams. Affirming his superiority in shortsprints, Bolt won gold medals in 100m, 200m and 4×100 relay for the third time on trot. The triple-triplewas achieved with a finality that left people spellbound. For a decade now, Bolt has been leading the pack in 100, 200 and 4×100 meter relay events and holds world records in the three events of his choice. While the 100m record of 9.58 seconds and 200m in 19.19 seconds were both created in 2009 Berlin World Championships, he also figured in his Jamaican team’s world record of 4×100 relay of 36.84 seconds during 2012 London Games.
Usain Bolt was first noticed 14 years ago, during IAAF World Junior Championships, when the event was hosted in Jamaican capital Kingston in mid-July2002. Bolt was not quite 16 then, looked underfed and an extremely skinny boy. Many people thought that Jamaica had made a wrong choice by entering Bolt in 200 meterevent. But Bolt had comfortable victories in heats earlier and reached the final. Bolt, however, didn’t convey the winner’s look even as he back-stretched his legs to settle on the blocks for the final sprint. But the boy Bolt ran a fantastic race to finish a run-away winner. The end of 200m final at Kingston signaled Bolt’s arrival on international athletic scene.
In later years, however, Bolt was hit by hamstring injuries, which slowed him down. Regardless, he qualified for 200 meter final in 2005 Helsinki World Championships. As the race neared the 150 meters mark, the injurious Bolt slowed down to finish last. The injuries also prevented Bolt’s participation in 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia. 2007, however, was the breakthrough year for Bolt. He first broke a 30-year old Jamaican 200 meter record with 19.75 seconds and went to Osaka for 2007 World Championships. He returned from Japan with silver medals in 200 and 4 x 100 meter relay. Until then, Bolt had never participated in major 100-meter events and no one talked much about him until 2008.
And suddenly, the great Usain burst into world athletic scene like a Bolt from the Blue. The transition occurred overnight in 2008, beginning with Bolt competing in New York City, where he reduced the 100-meter time to 9.72 seconds for a new world record. Later in 2008 Beijing Olympics, Bolt created more history by winning 100m, 200m and 4×100 relay that brought him in the category of the world’s biggest athletes.
From Beijing, Bolt went to Berlin’s 2009 World Athletics Championships. His Berlin story is amazingly historic since he set new world records in 100 and 200 meter events by clocking 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds respectively. Those records remain unbroken till today. The next Athletic World Championship was held in 2011 at Daegu, where Bolt was disqualified in 100 meter for a false start but powered his way to the Gold in 200 meter final.
Next big stop for Bolt was 2012 London Olympics. After he emulated his Beijing Olympic victories in 100 & 20o meters, he attempted to create a world record in 4×100 relay. On an action-packed August 11, 2012, Bolt was the fourth Jamaican to pick up the baton. In just a flash, the sensational Bolt whizzed past the finish line in a world record time of 36.84 seconds. For second time in two Olympics, Bolt had won all three short-sprint events.
Since then, there has been no looking back for Bolt in 100 meters. He delivered memorable performances in 2013 World Championships at Moscow and brought the crowd at Luzhniki Stadium on its feet in August 2013 after crossing the 100-meter finish line in drenching rain and poor visibility. He also won in 200 meter and 4 x 100 relay to equal an 8 gold-medal record in world championships, jointly held by US athletes, Allyson Felix, Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson.
Bolt didn’t run too much until the 2015 Beijing World Athletics championships. And yet again, he proved his world superiority by winning another three gold medals in 100, 200 and 4×100 relay and stood heads and shoulders above his nearest rivals. All short sprint records by now, literally belonged to the Jamaican. Usain Bolt’s crunch moment was the triple-triple that he achieved at Rio in August 2016. Long before the Games, Bolt was not even certain of his participation. He missed Jamaican Olympic Qualifications and could only get through with special permission on a request made by him. But he ran to his avowed announcement on social media after asking his fans to watch him make history. He won all his three events in style and became the most popular figure among athletes. While at Rio, Bolt turned 30 and announced he won’t be seen in 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But by all means, the big Jamaican is expected to figure in London’s 2017 World Championships this August.
